Guy Roberts and Jessica Boone will star in "MacBeth" at Main Street Theater.

Guy Roberts and Jessica Boone will star in "MacBeth" at Main Street Theater.

Photo: Main Street Theater

Director learns leadership from kings in Shakespeare

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For Guy Roberts, there was never a question on whether "to be or not to be" a Shakespearean actor after at age 15 he saw Laurence Olivier in the Oscar-winning 1948 film "Hamlet."

"It was a near-religious-like-conversion experience. I knew that Shakespeare is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," said Roberts, who directs and performs the title role of "Macbeth" through March 9 at Main Street Theater, 2540 Times Blvd.

"It touched my angst-filled teenage soul."

Roberts, 42, streamlined "Macbeth" - already Shakespeare's shortest tragedy - into an 80-minute show with no intermission and roles for 15 actors.

The cast includes nine witches rather than the usual three who prophecy to Scottish general Macbeth that he will be crowned king.

"The witches also double as the servants, and they are always hovering in the shadows," Roberts said.

Tickets start at $20.

Students with a valid ID pay $10, and discounts are available for senior adults and groups.

The 1990 graduate of Bellaire High School first performed the fast-paced "Macbeth" adaptation in Austin, where he won a grant to take the production to Prague in the Czech Republic.

"Macbeth" is PSC's third collaboration in three years with Main Street, following acclaimed performances by Roberts as Richard III and Henry V.

"Anyone who spends time with these characters gets to examine their successes and failures as kings and leaders," Roberts said.

"Richard III and Macbeth were bad kings. Henry V was a great king."

Offstage, Roberts often shares lessons he's learned from playing the monarchs by conducting "Shakespeare and Leadership" workshops for corporate leaders.

Jessica Boone co-stars as Lady Macbeth.

At three performances, Roberts and Boone will abdicate their roles to Houston actors David Wald and Bree Welch, who will portray the Macbeths at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 9.

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Roberts, who appeared in Houston Shakespeare Festival productions, was recently honored with the inaugural Sidney Berger Award from the national Shakespeare Theatre Association.

For more details on the show, call 713-524-6706 or visit www.mainstreettheater.com. Children under age 5 are not allowed in performances.